First Internet Pacemaker Brought Online   - 497 Views,

Using a radio transmitter embedded within the “Internet pacemaker”, which transmits through equipment stationed in Carol Kasyjanski’s home, the Internet pacemaker reports any problems, wirelessly, to Kasynjanski’s doctor.

“The device contains a radio transmitter which connects to receiving equipment in New Yorker Carol Kasyjanski’s home, using a very low-power signal around 400MHz, to report on the condition of her heart. Any problems are instantly reported to the doctor, and regular checkups can be done by remotely interrogating the home-based equipment — the pacemaker itself doesn’t have an IP address, fun as that would be.”

The device contains a radio transmitter which connects to receiving equipment in New Yorker Carol Kasyjanski’s home, using a very low-power signal around 400MHz, to report on the condition of her heart. Any problems are instantly reported to the doctor, and regular checkups can be done by remotely interrogating the home home-based equipment - the pacemaker itself doesn’t have an IP address, fun as that would be.

Explains Dr. Steven Greenberg, with the St. Francis’ Arrhythmia and Pacemaker Center “If there is anything abnormal … it will literally call the physician responsible at two in the morning if need be … It is a tremendous convenience for the patient from even interacting with a telephone to call the doctor… In the future, these pacemakers may be placed not just for people with slow heartbeats. We may be monitoring high blood pressure, we may be measuring glucose, we may be monitoring heart failure… it is not just a rhythm monitor but a disease monitor.”

An interesting use and blending of technology, although one wonders what happens if their ISP goes down.

And no, the pacemaker does not have an IP address.

Medical device whitelisting, anyone?